Shenmue again

The search for the way to play an import of Shenmue II for the USA Dreamcast continues (can you tell that I’m incredibly pissed?).

I’ve found four ways to mod the system:

  1. the DC mod chip;
  2. DC-X;
  3. GameShark (by InterAct); or
  4. Innovation’s Super Game Converter.

I’m leaning towards the DC-X or the GameShark because I don’t want to solder the mod chip to my DC’s board and I can’t find information about Innovation’s product. I had a hard time finding information about DC-X, but IGN suggests using it over the GameShark, and the GameShark has mixed reviews on Amazon.

I have to think about this.

Dreamcast & Shenmue

I picked up a Dreamcast last week for cheap at CompUSA. I’ve got Sonic Adventure, Sonic Shuffle, Shenmue and Capcom vs. SNK. This is the reason I’ve not blogged in the past week — I’ve been busy playing Shenmue! The game is addictive, even though I’m currently working a forklift job at the harbor in the hometown (literally — Ryo, the main character, is spending his days working as a forklift operator… only the Japanese would build that into a game). There are some hiccups to the gameplay, but it is enjoyable.

However, I just learned that, as I was out buying Shenmue, Microsoft and Sega were announcing that Shenmue II (originally scheduled for 12/4 release for the Dreamcast) is going to be released next Fall and only for the Xbox!

Now, I can understand Sega doesn’t want to sell a game for a console that is at the end of its life (though there is a new Powerpuff Girls game for the Nintendo 64), but the hype and anticipation for Shenmue II had already started for the US edition of the game. Sega, in my opnion, did a disservice to its Dreamcast/Shenmue customers after the ship date was all but confirmed as 12/4 and they made the MS announcement on 10/25 (as far as I can tell).

So it’s mod chip time. Find a mod chip and get my hands on the UK edition of Shenmue II for the Dreamcast… maybe by 2002 I’ll be playing Ryo in Hong Kong.